So frustrated with Connection tool!

[lgbeno]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to Visio but have been using other drawing tools for many years.  I draw a lot of electrical schematics and block diagrams for work.  One of the most annoying things in Visio is how the tool insists on automatically routing my connection line, this is very inconvenient because it often picks the shortest possible route and this is usually not the route that I want the line to take.

Other CAD programs that I've used allow me to route the line vertex by vertex and then when shapes are moved, they simply adjust to the nearest vertex.

So far in my searching I've figured out how to go in and add vertices after a connection is drawn or attach a number of connections onto one another but is there a way to do it from the beginning.  What I'm thinking is click the start connection point then click or hit a key every time that I want to pin down a vertex until I get to my end point.

Sooo frustrated...  Thanks for the help.

-Luke

[Paul Herber]

Which version of Visio?

[lgbeno]

Visio Standard 2013

By the way, just bought the Electronics for Visio package from Sandrila.  A prime example would be lets say that I put down a Cap and a mosfet and go to connect them.  It ends up looking like the attached image, I really need it to behave the opposite way...

[Paul Herber]

Hi Luke, I can't try with Visio 2013, but I can create the same with older versions of Visio. Open the standard Connectors stencil as try those shapes. The connector tool on the toolbar/ribbon can change its operation in ways I've never understood.
Maybe I should change the instructions for use with these shapes. It's been like that for over 8 years, inertia, once the words are written it can get very difficult to change them.
P.S. Thanks for your order.

[lgbeno]

I did try the standard shapes, it does seem like they have rules that require a minimum length of line that exits the shape perpendicular to the shapes outline & connection point.  A similar behavior would be great for these libraries.

Honestly I just don't understand how Visio is so popular for drawing if there isn't a way to better tame the connector drawing tool.

[Yacine]

Visio's problem is that the handling of the connectors is not obvious. A good tutorial should be shiped with the software to show the capabilities of this feature. Bad marketing.
What I usually advice is to switch off the autorouting option. Even in this mode the connector is superior to most solutions found in CAD software.
As for the example you sent, the connection points are obviously not set correctly. They should be directed.

[toneman]

Hi,

I thought I'd add to this thread as I am experiencing the same incredibly annoying behaviour with connectors in visio 2013.

Is there a way to make Visio stop thinking for itself and just freeze a connector once I decide it's right?
Now, when adding other objects (like adding blocks in the back of an existing flowchart indicating swimlanes) Visio decides it's a good idea to rout connectors all the way around other objects. SInce these are objects that fill the background you get connectors that try to find their way beyond background images which as you might imagine is incredibly stupid. Freezing layers does not help, send to back does not help, copying the connectors and pasting them as images does not help as this causes similar behaviour in other connectors.

I have been banging my head against my keyboard for a while now and I hope you have ideas. Where is the "stop thinking for yourself" or the "kill userfriendlyness" button?

Hope you can help

Thanks

Anton